Roman Republic

at the end of November 1848, the Pope's unpopular chief minister (Count Pellegrino Rossi) was murdered while entering parliament

rioting soon followed his murder causing the Pope to flee from a city of turmoil and take refuge in Naples

while the Pope fleed, he left behind a the government who announced a series of reforms including: abolishment of the unpopular tax on grinding corn; they provided public building work for the unemployed; they also proposedthe holding of a constituente (a meeting in Rome of all representatives from Italy) - they met for the first time in February 1849

four days after they met, the constituente proclaimed that there was now an end to the temporary power of the Pope and introduced the establishment of the 'Roman Republic'